Constants
by OrangeEucalyptus
Summary: A one-shot of the constants of red in Tony's life.


Prompt: Red

Authors note : I know i'm a little late on this one but it just sat there in my head, gnawing on my cerebrum for days. So, here goes nothing.

Constants

Red. It is the colour of his first toy. A bright red block. He may be a prodigy now, but as a toddler, he still has basal needs. To be precise, blocks. It starts out as a blue block, sky blue, and he wails until the colour of the block is painted red. He doesn't know why, but the colour soothes him. It is vibrant, warm and comforting. He plays with it till he turns five.

Red is the colour of the first object Tony takes apart in his father's workshop. He's seven now, so he's left the red block somewhere far behind in his childhood, well not that far, just two years. He needs to find something else to occupy himself with. Its just a nightlight, there's no problem that needs it to be taken apart and fixed, but there is. It's glow is blue, so he simply prods and fiddles with sheaths and wires until it is red. The colour of the light is bright, and he sleeps peacefully from then on.

Red. The colour of the first car he drove, and took apart, of course. A cherry red Bugati. It's also the first fight he has with his father, that's so bad that he needs to get out of the house until his mother has calmed his father. He sits, two miles away near the coast, his head on the wheel, and his eyes red from angry tears.

Red. The first kiss he has, he's blushing red. He doesn't blush now, obviously, but back then he was just an awkward teenager with gangly limbs and braces. Thats a secret, and God forbid anyone lets it out, may someone help them. He's never blushed after that, because he's tried it on so many times that it does not surprise him anymore. Yet.

Red. His anger, its a burning rage inside of him, when the responsibility of the entire company is rolled onto him. Not because he can't take it, but because it wasn't supposed to be his yet. And the truck was not supposed to swerve into his parents car.

Red. Nobody knows this, but he still visits their grave religiously. Twice a month. To anybody who doesn't spend everyday with him, Pepper, would wonder why there's a mountain of red roses on Howard and Maria Stark's grave, because Tony clearly wasn't the expressive type.

Red. The colour of the Afghan sun beating down on him. His skin is burned to a crisp, and thats why it hurts even more to remove the shards of metal. He thinks it to be a better alternative to a dank cave, though. Especially when he sees the shadow of a helicopter.

Red, now this one's a favourite of his, is the colour of hair settled on the head of one particular Virginia 'Pepper' Potts. She's standing at the tarmac and smiling weakly, but his heart still jumps wildly, because he's come to many conclusions in the dark tavern. And to think that he had thought the cheese burger would be the best thing ever waiting for him. Wrong.

Red, This one he hates, secretly though, because according to everyone else, he can't get enough of it. But that was before Afghanistan. Its the shades of red lipstick smattered on his face, From pushy women, who want only a warm body for the night, a deluxe one at that. He's got his eye on one single warm body now, one he wants to wake next to for the rest of his life.

Red is the sight he drinks in on a Wednesday, One of Pepper, her apricot curls in a black hairtie, in a red t- shirt, _his _t-shirt, because her blouse tore. He thinks she is clearly seducing him. She's not. He's going to test the theory anyway.

Red, is again, lipstick. This time it belongs to Pepper, and it appeals to him, even when the colour is smudged on his on lips, because she just kissed the hell out of him, and he wasn't expecting it.

He gives her a ring, with red rubies, to consummate their relationship. He also does other things to consummate their relationship. You know. She throws a fit because its too expensive and lavish, and she doesn't want to get addicted to it, buts its Tony, so he's leering, wondering if she's wearing something red under that suit.

Red is the colour of the previously contemplated underwear. Its Pepper's, because he's a one woman man now. He's back from Tokyo, his tie is askew, and all he wants to do is fall asleep on the Egyptian cotton sheets, but he sees her, and he's dropping his bags and is by her side so fast, it actually scares her.

When he decides that he wants it all, he steals her ruby ring, and re-presents it to her when he's down on one knee. Not because he's cheap, God no, but because she'll flip out if he gets her another stone, and has to start paying attention to what she says, because she's always right. Words to live by. She kisses him, and it takes her a whole day to form an answer, that hurts him, but eventually its yes.

Red, this time it's Pepper who feels the red rage. He's drunk and shouting and yelling, and she'd soothe him down, and he'd tell her what was troubling him, if this wasn't her wedding day. She throws the ring at him. Her things from the house are gone the next day. What she doesn't know, was that the need for him to be next to her was so frightening, he couldn't take it. After all, he never grew up in a hippy-happy household.

A year later, when he shows up at her doorstep, presenting her with red roses meant for his parents, she breaks down. She understands now, he's changing, he's growing. Then they wake up in Vegas, with matching bands on their ring fingers, but it was worth it.

And finally, when a cherry-haired little carbon copy of Pepper is running about the house, rambling about her Teddy's tea party with the dolls, that he realizes, as he pulls his wife towards him, that red maybe the best thing that ever happened to him.

Fin.

Sorry if it was really short, just had to get it out to you guys. Thank you for reading, oh and i may not continue with my other fic, 'im really trying', sorry to those who were loyally reading it, but i promise, by April, i'll have tons of new stuff for you. Nancyozz, you my friend are awesome!Thank you so much for being such a loyal reader. Dont forget to review and follow.


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